FIFA president Gianni Infantino is the main topic of a fresh and angry statement from several former footballers
FIFA president Gianni Infantino
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been called to resign in a new statement (Image: Getty)
A number of footballing legends, which includes Roberto Pires, Juan Sebastian Veron and Mikael Silvestre, have released a joint-statement speaking out against Gianni Infantino. The FIFA president remains under huge pressure to resign following his controversial plan to sell stakes in the World to private investors.
Though that was later scrapped following significant backlash, Infantino remains under the microscope and the latest demand for his departure has come from some high-profile figures in the game. The statement, shared by Silvestre who is on FIFA’s Players’ Voice panel, read: "As players, football has given us everything, and we have given our lives to it. Between us, we have played on its greatest stages and worn our national shirts with pride.
"But we know that none of our achievements would’ve been possible without the fans, whose passion and commitment is the foundation of this game. We share the exact same concerns as the millions of fans around the world. Like them, we have watched the game we love drift away from its core values under FIFA’s current leadership.
"For too long, we’ve seen major decisions taken without players being consulted or considered, and without any regard for the fans who sustain the sport. Change is necessary. Power has blurred the current leadership’s ability to distinguish between its own interests and what is best for football. Recent events have made silence impossible. Enough is enough.
"We call on all stakeholders to step forward and help reshape the future of our sport. This is a call that unites us all, from the grassroots to the top of the game. There are good people within FIFA who want to rebuild trust, but a new era requires a structural change: a real, direct say for players and fans in how football is run.
Gianni Infantino
Robert Pires is one of the ex-footballers credited with releasing the statement (Image: Getty)
"Those who step onto the pitch and those who sit in the stands deserve a genuine voice to help reshape football's future together. The football community has been quiet for too long. For the fans, for the players, and for the good of the game, we will be silent no more."
Infantino continues to face significant scrutiny with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin leading the anger. He has recently criticised the support from Donald Trump after some World Cup controversies while also stating he has no plans to succeed Infantino.
Ceferin still wants him to quit, however, and is calling on European nations to boycott FIFA tournaments. Their resolve will be tested in roughly 10 days when the women's under-20 World Cup kicks off in Poland.